We Can Help With Ticks

Looking for methods of effective tick control? Safeguard Pest Solutions knows how to safely apply chemicals that will greatly reduce the number of ticks. Even a single springtime application can reduce the population of ticks that cause Lyme disease by 68–100%. Safeguard Pest Solutions understands your desire to get rid of any ticks in your yard.

Tick Identification, Prevention, and Removal

Michigan has a growing number of ticks; especially along the western shoreline – the beach grass in the dunes, hiking trails, game areas. The three species of ticks that are most commonly encountered in our state are American Dog Tick, Lone Star Tick, and the Deer Tick or also known as the Black-Legged Tick.

The Black-Legged Tick is the one that carries the Lyme Disease. Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, an infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. After you have been outdoors or in an area where you suspect there might be ticks, do a thorough tick check on yourself, your kids and your pet.

Ticks transfer between hosts, so it is important to check all family members after activities in wooded, leafy or grassy areas. In many areas of the United States, ticks are active year-round, even after a killing frost. Tick identification, prevention, and removal are very important to your family’s health.

HOW TO REMOVE A TICK

Grab the Tweezers

Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Avoid pinching your skin.

Pull Up

Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off.

Be Careful

If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.

Clean Up

After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

Disposal

Dispose of a live tick by submerging it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape. Never crush a tick with your fingers.

Monitor the Area

If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor. Bring the tick you saved for testing.

.

Pets and Ticks

If your pet spends much time outdoors, tick checks should be part of your daily routine. Here’s how to spot a tick – and what to do if one has grabbed hold of your pet.

Scan for ticks by running your fingers slowly over your dog’s entire body. If you feel a bump or swollen area, check to see if a tick has burrowed there. Don’t limit your search to your dog’s torso: check between his toes, under his armpits, the insides of his ears, and around his face and chin. Ticks can be black, brown or tan and they have eight legs. They can also be tiny: some species are only as large as the head of a pin. If you find a tick it needs to be removed.